Successful Holiday Racing Period For White Robe Lodge Team

The Xmas/New Year period was a successful one for the White Robe Lodge racing stable with six winners and a number of minor placings.

The highlight was undoubtedly the repeat win of Of The Essence in the White Robe Lodge sponsored Clare Memorial Gold Cup at Omakau. She was not disgraced in her major Spring target, the NZ Cup at Riccarton and will now be aimed at the Dunedin Gold Cup at Wingatui.

Oher winners at Omakau for the stable were the talented sprinter Cherry Creek, who convincingly beat a small field to take her career record to seven wins from just sixteen starts, and The Cover Drive, who scored a deserved maiden success. The son of Danzighill backed this up with a gallant third at his next start at Kurow.

The winning streak started in the first race at Wingatui on Boxing Day when Smudgee won a Maiden 1600 metre event at just her third raceday outing. She is a three-year-old daughter of Yamanin Vital and Stewards Hdcp. winner Renee, making her a full-sister to Boogi On The Grass, who has been in good winning form in South Australia in recent weeks.

Two winners were achieved at the Kurow Jockey Club's annual racemeeting, both in maiden events and both ridden by stable apprentice, Shankar Muniandy. Halo Cloud caused a minor upset in her Maiden 1200, while Inferno was quite brilliant in taking out her Maiden 1400m. Despite this being her first win, TAB Bookies have her as short as $16 for the NZ Oaks at Trentham in March. The Dunedin Guineas is likely to ber her next major assignment.